Spiro [3,3]heptane-2,6-dispiro-4,5-diazafluorene (4) has been synthesized in three steps from 1,10-phenanthroline. It crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group P2 1 2 1 2 1 and has the two 4,5-diazafluorene metal binding domains mutually orthogonal.